This invention relates to a new concept in small and medium caliber ammunition, and to novel weapon systems, such as rifles, automatic cannons, and machine guns, which are adapted to utilize ammunition embodying the novel concept. Conventional weapons of these types include a chamber at the aft end of the barrel. Conventional cartridges for such conventional weapons usually comprise metal cartridge cases with the primer at the aft end thereof and the projectile at the forward end, with the propellant filling the remainder of the cartridge case. A reciprocating bolt is used to ram these conventional cartridges into the chamber before firing, the bolt is then locked, the round fired, the bolt unlocked and the spent cartridge case extracted and discarded. The cycle repeats for each round fired. Such conventional cartridges and weapons systems are mechanically complex, require reciprocating parts and are heavy because of the many metallic components thereof.
The new concept cartridge and weapon system comprises a self supporting non metallic cartridge case which need not be inserted into a chamber for firing but is simply lined up with the weapon's barrel and fired. Thus the invention integrates the prior art cartridge case and chamber into one lightweight part.